In a Land of Hope
by August Mayhem
Summary: NOT FINISHED. Looking for some inspiration to continue/finish this story. The development of the Gaang as they move forward from the Failed Invasion on Day of Black Sun. Family is brought back together before being pulled apart once more, and friendly ties don't always begin as such. Together they can save the world. But it takes more than effort to get them to that point.
The Gaang had been in the Western Air Temple for two weeks, recuperating from their losses in the failed invasion. Two weeks of self-depreciation in the core group before he had arrived. Zuko. The very bane of their existence; the one person who had chased after and found them consistently for the past year.

Teo, Haru and The Duke had put any negative thoughts in the back of their minds, letting the discovery of their new home take them over. Aang had been trouble from the start in his desperate attempts to avoid talking about their (his) failure in destroying the Fire Lord.

Toph was pragmatic about it, as she was with everything; Sokka was happy as long as he had meat, but Katara knew that his thoughts were always brought back to his personal failure in the invasion, and the loss of their father.

While she didn't like or even trust Zuko, Katara knew that he was currently Aang's only hope of learning firebending before the comet came. After warning him of what she would do to him should he make the slightest move backwards, it became a game of avoidance. He would try to make it up to her and she would throw it in his face.

Things came to a head when Sokka, with Zuko's help, had left to rescue Hakoda, which they hadn't known until after they returned. Katara was still exasperated that Sokka thought they'd actually believe the two had gone hunting for three days.

Suki told her later that it had been Sokka's idea to stop at a village and pick up supplies. Zuko, by far the best haggler amongst the group, had gone with Hakoda and all told, 5 bushels of food and needed items were tossed down in front of her.

After teary welcomes and introductions were done all around, Hakoda had brought out the rice wine, a celebration that though the invasion failed, they had their lives and dealt some damage to an enemy that had been waiting for them.

The Duke was given a cup of heavily diluted wine before being taken to bed by Haru and Teo a short hour later. Toph was needling Aang about some random thing while Sokka was with Zuko, Suki, Hakoda and the random prisoner whose name Katara didn't remember.

She herself had a celebratory sip but left it at that. She had things to look after, like materials for breakfast, cleaning up the mess they all left afterwards, making sure every one was safe and unhurt as they stumbled to their beds.

Hours passed and Katara had long since made edibles for everyone so the alcohol didn't hit them all too hard come morning. She didn't need or want to help them if they were sick and hungover the next morning.

Haru came back alone, as Teo had been tired. Suki eventually dragged Sokka off to be alone, somehow without Hakoda noticing. When it was well past midnight, Katara half carried, half dragged her father to an empty room and settled him in for the night. Worn blankets wrapped around him, his shoes off, a kiss on the forehead and she was gone.

She grabbed a few sheets and blankets from the stash she'd found her first day in the temple. Like everyone else's they were old, well-worn and thread bare. Making the room as comfortable as she could, Katara went back to the open area near the fountain the original group had designated the meeting area. Be it food, war meetings or training area, it was where they met.

Prisoner, as Katara named him, and Zuko were still talking and grunting. Very manly things she assumed. Prisoner was knocking back glass after glass of the wine, she'd feel no pity for him in the morning. Zuko held a cup but refrained from indulgence and only took a sip every so often.

Ignoring the only other two people who were still up and conscious, the waterbender set to work cleaning up the area. After shaking out the mats and bringing all the dishes to the fountain, the young teen went back to their supplies. Picking them up, one basket at a time, she moved them to join the much smaller group of victuals they'd had before this abundance.

Noticing the parched quality of her throat, Katara looked around until she found a flask that, once opened, smelled nothing like the eight or so bottles of rice wine everyone had drunk.

Taking a sip straight from the flask, a tangy, bittersweet juice flooded her tongue. It was cool and refreshing with a sweetly lingering aftertaste.

While she set about bending the fountain water to clean the used dishes, Katara would take intermittent drinks of the juice. As the night wore on, she began to notice a fuzzy feeling in her head that was attributed to a full day of labour and her current lack of rest.

Finishing with the dishes, Katara went over to the two males who were still talking. From time to time, a yawn would interrupt them, mostly on Prisoner's end. She gave the man directions to get to his new room and continued to clear up. Zuko left with the man as he'd been wobbling his way to the tunnel and would definitely need help going up the stairs to the lower levels.

A brief time later, it was just a few short hours before dawn, and she had the room clear of any and all mess that had been left behind. Appa's area had been cleaned as much as possible and the juice had been finished a long time ago. Enough time ago for a young waterbending master to open another flask of the delicious juice and drink half of it before deciding on a good night's rest.

The darkness of night didn't help her in the intricate stone hallways and she muddle her way to the closest room. The fuzziness had only grown and everything seemed to be tilting to the left.

At a particularly violent tilt, Katara collapsed against a wall and held onto the wooden frame that suddenly appeared in her hands. A small but warm glow filled her vision and the sleep-addled youth forced her heavy head to rise.

A bed was visible, with a gold trimmed, red covering that looked warm and cozy. A few candles were placed around the room, giving off a faint warmth that only emphasized the cool night air. The same night air that Katara hadn't noticed was cool until she was hit by the candles' heat.

Stumbling over to the bed, the young Water Tribe woman fell onto the bed and struggled to pull the cloak around her shoulders. A hazy smell emanated from the cloak, glowing embers filled with dried fruit and spice. A smile appeared on her face as her eyes drifted shut.

Zuko walked back from the designated bathroom, tired but satisfied. His only regret was Mai. He shouldn't have left her a note, that wasn't fair to her. But at the same time, he couldn't let her get involved. Didn't want her involved. In his own selfishness, he'd forgotten she already was, by virtue of being friends with Azula.

Sighing he turned into his room. The view of the moon from his rough-hewn window was the first thing to encapsulate his vision. Enjoying the faint warmth from the candles, but not overly worried about the cool night air, he _was_ a firebender after all, Zuko slumped onto his bed.

And was surprised by two things. Firstly, that his bed was already occupied. And secondly, the thing on his bed was alive, evidenced by the yelp it let out when he landed on it.

Frantically getting to his feet, Zuko pulled back the corner of his cloak. Katara's face looked back at him. He froze. He was on bad enough terms with her as it was, let alone she was now glaring at him.

He stumbled over what to say. "You're in my room." _Brilliant job genius, because that wasn't obvious at all!_

"Great. Now leave me alone." The words were muffled. He was still standing, completely stunned.

"But…this is _my_ room…!" He was majorly confused.

Zuko took a step back when Katara let out something akin to a growl and stood up, the cloak flung back to the bed. The fuzziness still wasn't receding and her vision was blurry.

She took a wobbly step forward and jabbed her finger into his chest.

"Listen you! You went off gallivanting with Sokka for three days, supposedly hunting, which no one believed by the way, suddenly come back with extra mouths to feed, I'm stuck cleaning up after everyone because they're all drunk off their asses and I am currently beyond tired! Right now, I couldn't give two wits about whose bed I'm in so long as it's not Ozai's and I can sleep for the next six hours!"

Her finger was mildly sore from jabbing his chest so many times throughout her little speech and she whipped around to go back to bed.

Or that was the plan. Instead she tripped over her ankles as she spun and fell face first to the ground.

At least, that would have happened. Had Zuko not grabbed her and pulled her back. The waterbender fell back into the (firm) chest behind her and she gasped, part in shock, but mostly in embarrassed fury that she'd needed his help.

She attempted to spin around and push him away, but again tripped and fell. This time with Zuko, as he hadn't let go of her. In what little area of her mind that could still think in real time, Katara cursed her feet and the clumsiness they were currently heaping upon her.

The two entangled benders tumbled to the bed, Zuko half balanced on his knees, one arm bracing against the thin mattress so he wouldn't crush the girl beneath him. Katara was sprawled across the bed, hair twisting away, Zuko's left arm still around her waist, her legs woven between his.

The sudden change in position and altitude, meager as it was, cause the fuzziness in Katara's head to switch to a splitting headache that was attempting to break her skull wide open. She groaned.

Zuko looked down at the waterbender who represented everything he had yet to atone for. Her eyes were clenched shut, a frown tugged her lips down in pain and a groan spilled from her throat.

Immediately, he pulled his hand from her waist and moved to cup her face. At the last moment he hesitated, unsure of what exactly he was doing, but fairly certain that she would disagree with the action.

"Are you okay? What's wrong? Is there something I can do?" His voice was getting a little panicky, and moving into a higher range that Katara's head wasn't exactly appreciating at the moment.

She pushed him off of her and he fell to the empty bed space closest to the wall.

"My head hurts, you're keeping me awake, I'm tired and want sleep. Now will you shut up and leave me alone!?"

"As I pointed out before, this is my bed, I'm not about to leave just because you hate me." He was started to get angry with the little waterbending peasant. He was just trying to help! She always thought she was so much better than him.

She curled over on her side, facing the dim candles. The night wind gently flowed throughout the room, cooling the rising tempers in both benders. Zuko flopped on his back, staring blankly at the stone ceiling.

"Why did you let me in if you hate me so much anyway?"

There was no response for a while and then a soft exhale of breath, the waterbender still didn't move.

"Aang needed a teacher. You were available." It was pragmatic in the extreme and made no headway in understanding her actions.

"So? Even if it meant that he would've been disabled in terms of fighting ability against the Fire Lord, you know that if you said no, the Avatar would go along with it. So why? Why did you say it was okay?"

A sense of desperation and a touch of anger came into his voice, making it closer to the rasping shout Katara was used to hearing from him.

She curled even closer into herself, a wave of emotions sweeping over her. She licked her lips.

"Aang needed a firebending teacher. You came along and offered yourself up as one, even going so far as to offering yourself as our prisoner. Even if I don't like you, or trust you, or agree with you joining our group, Aang needed you, and we didn't exactly have a lot of available options. We still don't. I can't afford to put the outcome of a war behind of my negative emotions over who was involved."

Zuko glanced over at the younger bender, still curled up in a ball, red cloak bunched between them. It was the most she'd said to him since he joined the Avatar.

He sighed, returning his gaze to the ceiling. So she still hated him then. Not knowing what to say or do, Zuko let the alcohol of the night's celebration take over his mind and send him into a deep sleep.

It was with the understanding that he was unaware when Katara, chilled from the lack of a cover of some sort, sought out the nearest heat source and curled against his body. The fact that his arms wrapped around her to keep her close also went unnoticed.

At some point in the night Katara shifted around so she was back facing the depleted candles, Zuko spooning around her, their legs entangled.

They slumbered until early afternoon, when Sokka, who had woken hungry and wanting his sister to cook him breakfast, traipsed about the temple searching every room when Katara wasn't found in hers.

"Hey Zuko, have you seen…Katara!?"

The pitch that Sokka can attain when he is truly shocked and completely horrified was scarily high, and most certainly loud enough to wake the two benders from their dead-sleep state.

As it was Suki that had woken Sokka up, she had gone with him to find Katara. Her giggles and Sokka horrified cries were enough to draw everyone else to Zuko's room.

Toph ran up with The Duke, Teo and Haru grinning in anticipation of a fight between the Water Tribe siblings; Hakoda stumbled from his room thinking they were being attacked, and Chit Sang, whose name only Hakoda, Sokka and Zuko seemed to know, slumbered on having drunk too much in celebratory freedom.

"Katara what are you doing?! You hate Zuko! Why are you sleeping with him!?"

Said female grumbled at the disturbance of her sleep and curled back in on herself and the warm body behind her.

Sokka raced forward to pull his sister out from the bed of the firebender. Sokka and Zuko were friends, barely, and some trust had been evoked during their tenure at the Boiling Rock. Despite that, he certainly wasn't about to let his sister into the other teen's, nor any man's, bed!

Katara was literally yanked from her slumber as Sokka grabbed her arm and tried to pull her to her feet. Raking her nails across his arm, Sokka was forced to let go of her as he yelped in pain.

Still not fully awake, Katara whirled an arm, gathering the moisture from the air and snapped it at her incredibly aggravating brother.

Letting out a second yelp, Sokka grabbed his arm as if that would prevent the pain. The water hit him multiple times and it was only once he passed the doorframe, and the water expanding to freeze over the door in a solid block of ice, that Sokka realized he'd been manipulated.

"Aang, quick! Use your firebending to melt the ice away! I can't leave Katara in there! Who knows what that jerkbender will do to her!"

No one responded to his direction and he glanced around. Most of them wore smirks, especially Toph. The Duke wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with the scenario, Haru and Teo didn't bother, safe in the knowledge that they weren't being attacked.

Suki, still giggling at her boyfriend, dragged him off as he struggled against her grip, yelling about horrible firebenders who profaned easily charmed and naïve sisters.

Zuko still lay tense in his bed, part awed by the barely-awake bending the woman-child next to him exhibited, and part certain that he would be attacked when the ice was broken through any minute.

Katara jabbed the stiff body beside hers in an effort to have the warm body back where it was keeping her warm. It worked.

.x.

Katara awoke a few hours later, knowing the warmth was gone before she opened her eyes. When she did, they gave her the view of Zuko silently practicing with his dao swords. Enjoying the view of a wonderfully shirtless older male, who was practicing with swords, the waterbender made no effort to let him know she was awake.

So it was with good reason that she was startled when his voice called out to her.

"I didn't want to leave without you. Not that I'm locked in or anything, I could've melted my way out. And I'm not scared of your brother. I could definitely take _him_."

She raised an eyebrow he couldn't see.

"It's your father I'm worried about. And the fact that I'm sure Haru would join in, since he likes you and you slept in my bed. And I'm also pretty sure that Toph would join in just for the hell of it. All around I figured it would just be easier to wait until you woke up."

Katara threw him a sardonic grin. "Awww, is poor wittle Zuko afwaid of ev'wyone?"

His eyes narrowed at her remark. She pulled the cloak off and stood up, "Don't worry Sifu Hotman, I won't let them rape you." Quickly bending the ice from its frozen state and back into her water pouch.

Zuko trailed behind as she walked down to the general area where meals were eaten and training took place.

"And here come the lovebirds! Have a hot time in Sparky's bed Sweetness?"

Everyone looked up at them. Sokka lunged up, sword drawn, and was simultaneously pulled down by Aang and knocked over via rocks by Toph.

Zuko gulped as Hakoda looked over at him with narrowed eyes and breathed a soft sigh of relief when he turned back to his meal and ignored his presence.

Katara sat down and helped herself to some stew from the pot. Zuko hesitantly sat between her and Toph.

While he still avoided Katara's male family members, the rest of the day passed in fairly normal semblance; Zuko teaching Aang firbending, Sokka training his sword forms with Suki before the two disappeared to a location no one tried to find.

Teo, Haru and The Duke continued their experiments on weapons and the exploration of the temple.

Hakoda mostly rested, with Katara looking after any lingering injuries. She did the same for the other prisoner and finally learned his name.

Later in the afternoon, Toph stole Aang away for earthbending practice and sent Zuko over to Katara. Thinking it odd the master waterbender had asked for him but going anyway, he splashed some water over his head and neck on his way over so he wouldn't reek of sweat.

"Did you need me for something?" He never really knew where he stood with the temperamental waterbending mother figure of the group.

Katara tossed him a quick glance as she set apart some fruit from the store they'd brought back.

"What makes you think I need you for anything?"

He bit back a retort, knowing things would only escalate if he did. "Toph said you wanted to see me."

"Trust me Zuko, I don't want to see you. And I have no need for your help." She could hear his teeth grinding behind her and stopped what she was doing to turn around.

"But if you feel the need to work off some of that aggression you're so clearly experiencing, you can go hunt for some meat."

"We brought meat back with us."

"Good for you. We have more mouths to feed now and I'd prefer to smoke and dry some for later provisions. It won't spoil as quickly as the fresh stuff and it means we won't need fires if we get displaced from the temple."

Gold eyes widened just the slightest at her words while she promptly ignored him in favour of continuing her preparation of the evening meal.

Unwilling to admit her idea had merit, Zuko walked away, but grabbed his dao swords from his room and left. He was out for the rest of the afternoon and the early evening. Dinner had already commenced when the exiled prince returned and left several carcasses near where Katara prepared all their food.

Walking to the fire, he found a bowl filled to the brim with rice soup, full of spices and vegetables and meat. Forgetting that morning's disturbance Zuko sat down next to Sokka who immediately turned to glare at him. His mouth opened wide, and set to Big Brother Mode, Sokka forcefully remind the firebender who exactly he was, and who Katara was. And how _he_ would gladly, should he ever catch a whiff of them together again, cut his balls off and roast them in front of the other teen.

At least that was the plan. It got slightly derailed when Sokka's eyes fell upon Zuko's bowl, wonderfully full, while his was despairingly empty.

"Hey! You got more meat than I did! And bigger pieces too! Katara! How come _he_ gets more food than I do?!"

Not sparing her idiotic brother a glance, Katara dismissed him with a brief response before returning to her conversation with Teo.

"He works more than you do. Does the powder interact with something inside of the machine? Because I don't understand how it would fire-"

Sokka gaped at his sister before turning to Suki and whining about unloving sisters and how they liked ex-enemy jerkbenders better than their own flesh and blood. Suki absently patted his head while continuing her chat with Toph about fighting techniques against firebenders. Aang snickered alongside Chit Sang and Hakoda. Haru and The Duke were arguing over the best room they had found in their explorations.

Katara ate the rest of her food while listening to Teo finish his explanation of the invention he made with his father. When her last questions were answered she gather the empty bowls nearest her and brought them to her 'kitchen'. She would wash everything once everyone had eaten. For now she could start preparing the animals Zuko had brought in.

There were two decent sized wolf-hogs, four large squirrel-rabbits and some ground birds to round out the assortment. Katara was impressed with the haul. He really must have had some aggression to work out. Wolf-hogs were smart and fairly dangerous to hunt and the prince had caught two. Though judging by their size, they were relatively young. All were neatly caught and tied with slit throats.

She created an impossibly sharp knife out of ice and began to skin the animals. If treated well enough they might be able to barter the skins at a future city. Dishes had been left near the ones used to cook the stew and people slowly dispersed to their own activities.

Hakoda found a knife in one of the caskets and went to help his daughter. He tried to talk to her about her morning in Zuko's bed, but she quickly derailed him and they spent the next few hours skinning and cutting up the animals, separating what could be smoked or dried for later and what could be used as filler in their immediate meals. There was a low continuous murmur as they spoke of what had happened since the invasion and of memories long forgotten in the ice and snow of their homeland.

When everything was finished, Katara wrapped the meats up and covered them so bugs and other inquisitive animals couldn't get at it. Her father left, still a bit drained from his tenure as a prisoner of the Fire Nation and Katara began on the dishes used throughout the day. Tomorrow she would find an appropriate room and begin smoking the meat for jerky.

 **.x.**

Katara woke up early, made a simple breakfast that could be eaten warm or cold and ate her share while waiting for The Duke, Haru or Teo to awaken. As all three had gone to bed fairly early the night before, they should be up soon, eager to begin more explorations.

But before they could leave, Katara caught hold of them and gave her specifications for a room, before asking if they had seen anything similar. They had and so the group of four traipsed through numerous hallways, going down stairs which actually meant up to the temple peaks, then across some bridges Katara wasn't sure she trusted, up another set of stairs that really went down to the bottom of the buildings (but up to the cliffs above them) and finally going into the side of the cliff itself.

Katara walked around the room, testing various things before nodding to herself and smiling. It would work fine. So long as she remembered how to get here a second time. While normally fairly decent with direction, this temple was driving her nuts and except for frequently used passages, she lost her way fairly easily.

"Have you guys made a map I could use? I don't know if I'll be able to find this again on my own. And since I'll be coming here frequently I don't want to constantly interrupt whatever you three are doing to have you bring me here."

Teo wheeled out the door and stop in the hall. "There's actually a design carved into the stonework of these halls. Haru was the first to notice that certain symbols led to specific areas."

He pulled a sheet of parchment and a charcoal nub from his shirt and scribbled a few lines on it before ripping the small piece off and handed it to her.

"That's the set of symbols you need to follow to get here. You'll be able to tell when the next symbol in sequence comes."

Katara took the proffered parchment and thanked the boys. She glanced at the sequence she had to follow and began to look at the images etched into the stone wall. The boys left through a second passageway further down the hall as Katara began to work her way backwards.

When she arrived back near the fountain, she found Aang working through his sets with Zuko leading him and giving adjustments when needed. Suki, Sokka and her dad were engaging in a weapons fight while Toph manipulated the earth to make it harder.

Grabbing the sacks that held the strips of meat, cut the night before, Katara loaded them on her back and shoulders, along with several lengths of rope and set off again for her smoking room.

She spent the next several hours setting up the room and meat, with frequent trips for some needed item until she felt it was the best she could make it. She had long since memorized the route to get there and no longer needed the parchment. Still, it was left in the folds of her tunic, just in case.

Upon her arrival at the fountain, she froze in astonishment, eyes wide, mouth gaping with incredulity.

Her kitchen area was a mess. Utensils, bowls, pots were scattered across the floor, fruits and vegetables were spilled from their caskets and someone had splashed soup across their tents and sleeping bags.

People were squabbling over who got what items to make lunch and certain tastes and appetites for food and all round making a mess .

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!" The sudden roar that only an enraged woman could make, accompanied by a vicious water whip, immediately halted any fighting.

As one, they all turned to look at the furious waterbender standing in the doorway. Several ticks around her eyes, a deep frown on her face, fists clenched, one with a length of water trailing out, ready to be snapped over someone's head.

In a sweetly calm voice that belied her frustration and anger, Katara walked towards them as she spoke. Many flinched back.

"What _exactly_ is going here? I have been working all morning and come back to find you all _fighting_ with each other?"

Her face was that of a disappointed mother and everyone cringed in shame, even the two adults.

"And not only are you fighting with each other, you are making a **mess** of _my kitchen_ and _wasting_ food that we absolutely _cannot_ spare!"

Several mouths opened to justify their actions, but a raised hand silenced them before they could start.

"I don't want to hear it. Aang, Sokka, Zuko and Teo, clean up this mess and set everything to rights. Suki you're cleaning dishes with Haru and The Duke. Everyone else, either feed Appa or sit down and don't move."

Seeing that everyone moved as they were told, Katara sussed out what had really occurred. Apparently Aang had offered to make lunch, but didn't know how to do anything other than fruit and raw veggies. The lack of meat was a sore point for several people and Suki had offered to cook. As wonderful a warrior as she was however, the girl was no cook and burned whatever it was she had attempted to make.

Zuko had then offered to make something, but Sokka protested, sure they would be poisoned, inadvertently or not. Chit Sang wanted some wine and Hakoda had refused to let him have any. Toph was laughing at some of them and provoking others. Somehow food had gotten involved in the arguments, likely by accident, and actual fighting broke out because of that. Hakoda tried to stop Chit Sang, Suki tried to stop Sokka, and Aang was joined by Haru, The Duke and Teo in a food fight against Toph.

But when Katara came to the fore, they all went about doing as ordered as meekly as possible without complaint. Except for Sokka. He complained, though perhaps not as loudly as he normally would. Unfortunately for him, Katara still heard and stood behind him, a thunderous look on her face. The other boys of the group had noticed her there and averted their eyes, hoping she would ignore them.

"And how come Dad doesn't have to do anything? 'Go feed Appa', yeah 'cause that's a chore! Why do we have to clean up as punishment while they do basically nothing?"

"Because they were war prisoners and are still healing from the injuries garnered. And I have a different punishment in mind for them." Sokka eeped and slowly turned around to face the sister currently looking imperiously down at him as he crouched to pick up fallen dishes.

"Ah! Uh…hi…Katara.…What brings you over here? We're not doing anything wrong, see? Just as you ord-…asked us to. Cleaning up the mess we made! Hahaha..."

"They are doing something simple and unneeded because their punishment cannot be accomplished until after the midday meal. As such, they are doing their work _without complaint_ and I expect the same of you, _dear brother_!"

Sokka cringed as the hard voice washed over him. He knew he was in trouble now. Katara liked to take her pound of flesh over time rather all at once. She was vicious like that.

A glare was his dismissal and he bowed his head, going back to his assigned task.

"Spirits below….Your sister is scary! She's terrifying when she's fighting to protect someone she cares about, but I never thought anyone could be that terrifying over a bunch of dishes!"

Zuko's words were breathed out softly and Sokka raised a brow.

"Don't let her hear you say that or you'll get even more disciplinary action. Despite being fourteen and younger than me, it was Katara who practically raised me. My mother died when I was 7, Katara was 5. Dad was a mess for a long time after that. It was Katara who stepped up and helped around the house. She took over everything my mom had done with some help from Gran-gran."

He deposited the gathered dishes and went to help find the scattered food.

"Almost three years later Dad left with the rest of the tribe's men. Gran-gran was in charge because it was her son-in-law that was chief, but as the years passed, it was Katara who looked after everyone. She went on a lot of hunts and fishing trips, she looked after children and the sick, made new clothes, mended old ones and did the laundry. She cooked and cleaned for pretty much everyone. When we found Aang, there were only 21 people in the entire village, including us. Katara looked after everyone."

As Aang listened to Sokka's story, a sudden memory came unbidden to his mind.

" _I haven't done this since I was a kid!"_

" _What are you talking about? You still_ _ **are**_ _a kid!"_

He realized then that she really wasn't. And she hadn't been one for a long time. Almost ten years. He sighed and looked down. Unlike him. He'd been a child for over a hundred years. When responsibility had called for him to step up, he ran away. Katara had faced it head on with her shoulders squared.

Toph had opted not to go feed Appa, simply because it wasn't a great job for a blind pre-teen, even if she was an earthbender. She quietly picked on the boys when Katara was out of immediate range. When Sokka told them about his family past, Katara's past actions suddenly made a lot more sense to her.

While Sokka had explained it a bit to her in her stint as The Runaway, she now realized that Water Tribe siblings' actions went a lot deeper than previous expected. Sokka, for all his idiotic posturing and goofy qualities, was actually quite an accomplished warrior. And considering a fair amount of it had to be self-taught, that made it even more impressive.

And he was quite smart. He had a dry wit that lent itself well to insults when he had a mind for it. He had helped created the war balloons that were used against them in the invasion; Teo had told them that story as they walked to their current lodging. He'd also helped design the underwater ships they'd used in the invasion.

Once everything was cleaned up, they all sat down to a simple lunch of plain rice and small strips of unflavored meat. Another punishment for their earlier behavior. After Suki, Haru and The Duke cleaned the dishes, people once again dispersed to their usual activities. They were halted by a waterbender clearing her throat, hands on her hips.

"I don't believe I said any of you could go."

The soft words froze them in place and they hoped their chastening would be light.

"Zuko, Dad and Chit Sang are going hunting. Supplies are by the fountain. Don't come back anytime soon. Toph I have a project you'll be helping me with. Aang you'll be fighting against Suki and Sokka. Teo, Haru and The Duke you're free to go."

"What!? How come everyone gets off except us? And maybe Zuko."

"Zuko would have gone hunting whether he got in trouble or not. His punishment was cleaning. Dad and Chit Sang's punishment is that they have to keep up with Zuko while hunting and bring back the kills. Toph is getting her punishment now and everyone else is free. However, we are still at war, and Aang still needs to train. Just because he's the Avatar doesn't mean he'll never have to fight against non-benders."

People went about their assigned activities as Katara motioned for Toph to follow her through the halls.

"So why exactly am I getting punished Sugar Queen?" The heiress's tone was belligerent but only just. Sweetness knew better than to blatantly try and order her around, though it did still happen from time to time. For the most part, Katara and Toph had worked out their control/relationship issues.

Not to say they never fought; just by way of their personalities and idiosyncrasies they to clash almost more than Katara and Zuko. But not quite.

"I was hoping you could re-model the bathing room to my specifications. I doubt it'll take you long, but we could fill it up and relax for an hour or so. I know you didn't really participate in the fighting, but you were a part of it, and if I punished The Duke then I have to punish you too."

"You sound like my parents. Why do you get to punish everyone? You're not anyone's mom Katara."

It was pretty much The Runaway incident all over again.

"Because I am the only one that cooks and cleans _all_ the dishes _every_ day, for _every_ meal Toph. That area is **my** kitchen. I expect everyone to respect that. To come in and see everyone fighting over who's making what and how, all the while spilling food everywhere, it was a huge waste of supplies we really can't afford. Besides Zuko didn't complain, why are you?"

"Zuko never complains when you bitch him out. You're really not being fair to him Katara. He's done nothing to deserve your anger."

Blue eyes narrowed. "No, so far he hasn't," She huffed, "I suppose that's partly why I'm angry with him."

Milky green eyes blinked in her direction, but for once she held her tongue and nothing more was said. Instead, Katara passed through a doorway and looked around.

She let Toph get a feel for the room and described what she wanted. Within seconds it was done. Walking around, her brown hair bounced as she nodded her head. A few adjustments were made. A brilliant smile and water was called into the bathing pool that sunk into the floor.

Toph 'looked' around and added a few of her own touches before the two benders stripped free of their clothes and walked down into the warm water. The next hour was spent luxuriating in the water with Katara combing both their hair.

When their bath finished Katara drained the water and went back to check on her smoking room. Toph went to help Sokka and Suki fight Aang.

The next few days were restful and filled with training and stocking up their food supplies. Katara spent her days with her father curing meat and fruit so it could be packed away. Over the hours, the father and daughter reconnected from years of separation. He tried a few times to control her actions, like what she wore when she practiced bending, and how she acted so bossy.

He quickly learned that while he was still her father and she loved and missed him terribly, he really didn't have any say in her personal life any more. She had grown up while he was away, and youngest child or not, she was the one looking after her brother, not the other way around. And she was a mother-figure to those currently residing at the temple.

Hakoda sighed to himself, if it hadn't been for the war, she would have already been engaged, if not married already. Perhaps even with a child of her own on the way. It was a sobering thought.

A pang of regret flashed through Hakoda as he watched his daughter, barely 15 years old, as she walked around camp settling fights and making sure everyone was taken care of. Including the adults and the three teens that were older than her. He had missed out on watching his little girl grow up. Even worse, because of his decision to leave, she'd had to grow up far faster than he could have ever imagined. He had overheard Sokka's story of their lives after the raid that resulted in Kaya's death.

He sighed. Well, as much as he wanted it, not even the Spirits could change the past. He could only be the best father to her from now on and try to help her whenever she needed it. Gathering up the last bundle of dried jerky, Hakoda moved from hiding in the hallway to the open kitchen and helped his (far too old) youngest child separate the food into packs.

 **.x.**

The group was split up again when Azula found their hiding place and bombed them relentlessly. The Water Tribe siblings were once again separated from their father and Sokka clung to Suki, making sure she was with him. The Duke, Teo and the adults left through a tunnel leading into the cliff, with Haru to assist with travel further into the cliff face and eventual ground.

Zuko fought his sister and all were cautiously happy, however surprised when she fell to her death. But of course, the perfect princess couldn't die yet. Zuko was surprised that it was Katara who reached out the arm to catch him from his free-fall. They escaped with no injuries, however saddened and found rest that night on a small island that was uninhabited.

Dinner was an interesting affair as the group thanked and congratulated Zuko on his efforts to help them.

"Thanks you guys, I really don't deserve it."

A snort sounded in the stillness. "Yeah, no kidding." Katara set her bowl aside and stormed off.

Everyone blinked after her, startled by the severe response from the normally genial female.

"What's her problem?"

Zuko shrugged. "I wish I knew…" He stared after her disappearing figure. Looked back to his bowl, then put it aside and went after her.

"This isn't fair. Everyone else trusts me now! What is it with you?"

She whirled around in anger, her hair a mass of curls that seemed to take on a life of its own, responding to her emotions.

"Oh, everyone trusts you now? What about me? I was the first one to trust you! Remember? Back in Ba Sing Se! And what happened there Zuko? You betrayed me. You betrayed all of us."

He floundered for a moment, she was completely right. And he could understand why she was hesitant to trust him, once burned, twice shy. Almost literally in her case.

"Well what can I do to make it up to you?" He would do anything really. The exiled prince wasn't exactly sure why he felt this way, but her opinion was the only one that really mattered out of the entire group. While Aang was the figurehead, she was the leader. Tough as Toph was, she had been alone for most of her life and often had trouble relating to people. Sokka was just a fool, genius at times, but a fool. Suki was love-struck, however good a warrior.

Katara looked after everyone and kept them all together, was logical and had a brain. And talent, she was an extremely skilled waterbender. Out of anyone, he figured he should know.

"You really wanna know? Maybe you could re-conquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King! Or I know," Her mocking smile twisted to a face that was hatred and pain. "You could bring my mother back!"

She shoved past him and walked to her tent. Zuko stared out at the sea, the night wind creating waves that scattered the moon's light on choppy water. He would never understand women, especially that one. Maybe it was time to find out her past. He needed to talk to Sokka again.

After awkwardly walking in on Sokka with a rose in his mouth and a candle-lit tent, the firebender heard the story in its entirety. Thoughts crowded his head and he spent a few hours trying to sleep before giving up and walking around the perimeter of the camp. Eventually he sat on a rock in front of Katara's tent. As the sky slowly lightened he fell into a light doze and was startled awake when the girl in question walked out. Ungaurded surprise crossed her face when she saw him there.

"What do you want?" She was still mad at him, he could tell. He dragged a hand over his face trying to evoke more wakefulness.

"I know who killed your mother. And I'm going to help you find him."

The waterbender froze mid stroke from brushing her hair. Things progressed that day, though for Katara it couldn't go fast enough. By nightfall, supplies were packed and dark clothes were assembled. They were on their way.

On their journey Katara opened up about her mother. Zuko absorbed the new information about the girl and added it to what little he knew of her. Despite all this, he could easily understand the bender and respected her even more for the life she had lived.

 **.x.**

Her anger was an amazing thing to watch when it wasn't directed at him (for a change) and his admiration and respect of her strength grew a little more at her emotive restraint. When she made the man literally bend to her will, the firebender stared in shock at the man who was twitching and convulsing, before looking at the girl…no…woman behind him as she did… something…to the hated man in front of her. He covered his shock and wariness in anger for the man who had killed a young girl's mother.

 **.x.**

It was the wrong man. Disappointment filled him so swiftly, Zuko could do no more than stare blankly for a moment. Katara would hate him even more now, he hadn't fulfilled his promise to her. Spirits, this was all going sideways!

They went to ground and found a new lead that led them to a pitiful man that walked down the dirt road, easily carrying a basket of fruit.

"We weren't behind the bush." A blast of fire knocked him backwards and Zuko sneered as the man snivelled with fear in his eyes. To think this weakling had once been part of a proud and strong army. He never should have lived as long as he had.

"It was me!" Zuko watched, astounded, as the very rain suspended itself in the air and combined to make a dome of water. The water droplets hovering inside the dome joined to create large spears of ice that were sent toward the man with a vicious thrust. The pitiful creature on the ground cried out in fear and held an arm to his face, as if that would protect him.

Eyes hesitantly looked up when no ice pierced his skin. He jerked back in surprise at how close the spears were to his body and twitched again when they splashed in the mud at his feet.

Blue eyes as cold and deadly as arctic water stared at him before the two benders left. Yon Ra shivered, those eyes would forever haunt him. He brought his arms closer to his body and desperately tried not to think about how close he had come to death.

 **.x.**

The flight back to their current camp was silent. Katara either rode on Appa's head or slept fitfully in the saddle. They returned in the early morning and Katara avoided them for the rest of the day. Aang and Zuko found her at sunset, sitting on a decrepit dock, staring at the sinking sun.

She tried her best to not think too harshly of Aang for his pacifist mindset. In the end she smiled at the exiled prince and moved to give him a hug. It was nice to let go of her anger and hate as she hugged Zuko's warm body. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and she briefly entertained thoughts of what it would be like to have a firebender for a boyfriend.

But they broke apart and she left to go talk to her brother; it was time they spoke.

 **.x**.

The dawn was approaching, with pale, muted colours lighting the oceanic horizon, by the time the two Water Tribe siblings were done talking. It had been difficult and painful to reminisce about the past and what hurts had been done to them, but they came out stronger for it, and felt closer to each other.

The sun rose and with it, Katara's smile. She was more at peace with herself than she'd been in the past year, despite the looming threat of Sozin's Comet. She hummed little tunes that she remembered from childhood as she cooked their morning meal and cheerfully called for the group when it was ready.

The full-throated cry startled everyone into a jump, but for Sokka, who vocalized a responding call and ran for the common area. The day was spent taking stock of their supplies and making lists for needed items.

That night after dinner, Sokka grabbed a bone flute from his bag, the last gift he received from his mother, and started piping the tune Katara had been humming while cooking.

Startled, she looked up from the dishes she was washing. Blue eyes encouraged her to finish the performance, but she shook her head.

"I didn't know you could play the flute Sokka!" Suki was suitably impressed, as was Aang.

Toph snickered something about him being a girly-man, what with his purse, and now this. Zuko, while privately agreeing with Toph on the purse, declined to say anything. Katara said she forgave him, but woman were a crazy species with long memories for past wrongs.

As Sokka played, Katara found herself humming the counterpart and swaying to the melody that bubbled through the night sky. Finally she could claim no more chores to do and the group cheered her on until she began to dance.

It wasn't exactly a tradition amongst their tribe, but it was a frequent activity that celebrated good hunts, safe births, or even just trying to keep hope alive when the despair of war got to them.

It was a song of the moon sparkling on the water and the relationship between the two spirits. It wasn't as sharp or energetic as the dance she had shared with Aang at the party he'd set up, but her body flowed with a sensually playful grace as she moved around the fire. Every so often she would leap and spin into the air, brown curls flying out behind her.

Sokka led the ending of that song into the beginning of a darker melody. As she slowed her pace, Katara added her voice to make the hauntingly beautiful harmonies needed to fully express the story within.

She had long since moved outside the circle; the soft glow of the moon melded with the black of night, shiftng around her as she flickered in and out of the fire's light. Expressive blue eyes absently trickled tears as she danced for her dead mother.

Everyone paused for a moment when the song ended. Thoughtful gazes as they all reminisced about past regrets, and the future they weren't certain they had.

Sokka, desperate for happier thoughts, began to mouth a jaunty, energetic piece. It was difficult to learn, as the notes were quick and precise, jumping from octave to octave and he'd had no teacher to learn from. But learn it he had and his pride was justified in how well he played.

Katara let her body move to the rhythm as she closed her eyes, smiling. Presently, she pranced over to Suki and pulled her up, teaching her the moves as they went. Aang was next to join in the dancing, and Toph was forcefully pushed in by Sokka. Feeling ridiculous she stayed for a minute before going back to the fire. She grabbed the flute and earthbended a rock to launch the taller teen into the fray.

Finding the holes in the instrument quickly she glared at Zuko, who quickly decided it was better to join by his own volition, and started a new song. While the group was surprised to hear Sokka play an instrument, it was more of a shock to see Toph playing one. Especially since it was done voluntarily!

Suki brought out her fans and incorporated them into a paired dance with Sokka and his sword. Aang used his airbending to aid his leaps and twirls into the air, Momo flying around him.

Katara let the music and the moonlight fill her as she danced, unaware the water reacted to her movements. The ocean spurted up clear arcs of salty water, the spray floating around them like a fresh mist. Other ribbons of water sprung up and interwove with the dancing figures, throwing off light from the fire and mixing with the moon's own glow.

Zuko let his own bending flare spirals that licked around the water, with fiery images that danced on air. Sokka almost walked into one, he was so entranced by them, and Aang joined in, creating bisons out of air to fly around the other displays.

As the music built into a crescendo, an ethereal light came from within the water, similar to when waterbenders healed, and radiated out, mixing with the fire until they were inseparable and with the last beautiful, clear note, faded into the night.

.x.


End file.
